Tuesday, July 29, 2014

What is a dysplastic or changing mole?


A common mole or nevus is benign growth of pigmented cells. They can be present at birth, but most often they appear later in childhood. They usually occur in sun exposed areas. Common moles can be flat or raised, and can range in color from skin colored, to brown. Normal moles can start to change and become dysplastic or atypical. Sign and symptoms that a mole is changing include change in size, shape, or color. If a mole that was previously asymptomatic starts to itch or bleed, this can also signify change. The concern of having dysplastic or changing moles is that a small percent may progress to Melanoma skin cancer. It is important for a person who has had a changing mole in that past to have a skin check every 6 months because they are at higher risk to have further changing moles. A person should do self skin checks monthly using the ABCDE's.

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